Seed mechanism for planters



1518,32? 5. O. HOLLND SEED MECHANISM FOR PLANTERS Filed Dec. 8, 1922 3Sheets-Sheet 1 JAMUEL OTHO HOLLAND.

Dec.. 9,1924. 1518327 S."- 0. HOLLAND SEED MECHANISM FOR PLANTERS FiledDec. 8, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JAMUEL orHo HOLLAND Dec. 9 1924D s. Q.HoLMfl-m SEED'MECHANISM FOR PLANTERS Filed Dec. 8, 1922 3 Shee'iLs-Sheet5 Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

UITED sTATEs SAMUEL OTIfIO I-IOLLAND, OF SALIISBURY, NORTH CAROLINA.

SEED MECHANISM FOR PLANTERS.

Application filed December To all w 710m it may camera:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL O'rHo HOL- LAND, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Salisbury, in the county of Rowan and State ofNorth Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSeed Mechanism for Planters, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact de-v scri ption. i

My invention relates to seed mechanism for planters, and one of theobjects of the invenion is to provide a mechanism of this charaoterwhich is particularly adapted for the simultaneous planting of twodifferent kinds of seeds, such as oorn and beans.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of thischaracter| which is so constructed that it may be readily changed from aduplex lhopper containing two kinds of seeds to a single hopper forplanting only one kind of seed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanisrn of thischaracter which permits either the edge drop or flat drop, as may bedesired. j

A further object of the invention is toprovide a device ofthis'character which is not only adapted to simultaneously planting twodifferent kinds of seed, such as `corn and beans, but also may bereadily changed to a cotton seed planter. I j

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following detailed description when taken in.connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: v i i Figure 1 is aVertical sectional view of the apparatus, with the scrapers and knockersomitted.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus.

Figure 3 is a developed sectional view taken on line 3-3, of Figure 2.

Figure 11 is a plan view of the apparatus with the cover plate removedand clearly showing the construction of the dropping plate.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the dropping plate, showing the lugsfor engaging the gear ring.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the base plate; all other parts of theinechanism being removed.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the base plate with the gear ring mountedtherein.

Figure 8 is a plan view of a modified form 8, 1922. Serial NO. 605,631.

of the cover .plate adapted for use when it is desired to blank off theinner seeder.

Figure 9 is a lplan view of the apparatus as employed as a, cotton seedplanter, and

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the seed wheel employed when theapparatus is used as a cotton seed planter.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, numeral 1 indicates generallythe base plate, in which is mounted the usual gear ring 2, having teethon the' bottom thereof for engagement with the pinion 3, whereby thegeariring is driven. The pinion may be oper'ated in` any well knownmanner, and it is, therefore, not necessarv to illustrate or desoribeany particular construction for lnounting or' driving the pinion.

A. plurality of lugs 4 are cast vintegral with the base plate andprovide a means for attaching the outer hopper 5 to the base plate. Thebase plate is provided with a flat annula-r port-ion 6 having arelatively `'large opening 7 therein, and walls 8, 8 integral with thebase plate extend downwardly therefrom yadjacent the sides of thisopening, and are` provided with bearings 9, 9 for i mounting a toothedwheel 10 commonly 'used in cotton seed planters. VVfhen the ap- 'paratusis notibeing u'sed'as a cotton seed planter the opening 7 will beblanked off in a manner to be described. Inwardly of the fiat annularportion 6`is an annular ledge 11, and this ledge'is'pro'vided with anopening 12,: through which the'see'd in the outer hopper are dropped ina manner to be descr'bed hereinafter.`v Inwardly of the annular ledge,andspaced therefrom by a' relatively4 deep channel in which is mountedthe gear ring, is the central portion of the base member, which 'portionis indicated by numeral 13. This central portion of the base plate is'provided with an opening 111 for the passage of seed from the innerhopper 15. The central portion is also provided with another aperture 16for a purpose herelinafter described.

`The geariring 2 has an annular fiange 17 which rests on an annularshoulder eX- tending around the edge of the central portion of the baseplate; the teeth of the gear ring projecting downwardlv into therelatively deep channel, where they are engaged `by the teeth of thepinion 3. The upper side of the gear ring is provided with a p'luralityof upwardly 'extending lugS 18.

Arranged over the top of the central portion of the base plate, andresting on the annular flange 17 of the gear ring, is a cap plate 19.This cap plate is provided on its lower side with a. downwardlyextending finger 20 for engaging in the aperture 16 of the baseplate,whereby the cap plate is mantained in fixed position. The cap plate:

is also provided with an opening 21 aligning with the opening 14 of thebase plate' for the passage of seed.

The dropping plate consists of a flat annular flange 22 to be receivedin the annu' lar ledge 11 of the base plate, an incline'd Wall 23, and aflat central portion 24 having a large centrally arranged opening'perniitting the dropping` plate to be fitted over the central upstandingportion of the cap plate.

The central fiat portion of thev dropping plate is provided with aplural'ity of openings 25 which alig'n with. the passage in the capplate and base plate as the dropping plate rotates, there'by pennittizngthe seed in the inner hopper to fall into' the chute 25', shown inoutline in Figure 1.

The fiat annular flange 22 of the dropp-ing plate is provided with ap'lurality of cut-out po-rtions 26 at the periphery thereof, and thesecut-out portions align with the passage 12 in the base plate as thedroppi'ng plate revolves, thereby permitting the seed in the ou'terhopp'er to drop into the chute.

The under side of the dropping plate is provided with downwardlyextending lugs 217 which are engage'd by the upwardly extend'ing` lu'gs'18 of the gear ring, whereby the droppi'ng plate is caused to rotatewith the gear ring.

It may b'e mentione'd here that I may have any desired number of seedholes in the dropip'ing plate for both the inner and o'nte'r hoppers.Also' the relati've arrangement of the innerl and outer holes may bevarie'd tosuit varyi'ng conditions. For example, in Fi'gnre 2 thedroppin'g plate has six seed holes for the inner hopper. and three forthe outer hopper', and they are relatizvely arranged so that there' willbelv twol seeds dropped from the' inner hopper, then one from the outerhopper, then: two from the lnner hopper, etc. In Fi'gnre 4 there arethree seed ho'les fo1both the inner and outer hoppers, and they arealternately arrangted so that the different seeds will be plan-ted inalternate hills; while' in Figlu'e 5 three seed holes for both the'inner and outer hoppers are provided, but they are aligned so that twokinds of seed willV be dropped in the same hill.

A cover plate, indicated generalfly by nirineral. 28,v fits over thedroppiing plate; the cover plate being supported out of contact with thed'ropping plate by means of downwardly curvedwfingers 28' and.lQWllwardly extending fiange 29, all of which rest on the flat annnlarportion G of the base plate. The cover plate does not extend over theflat annnlar 'lange 22 of the dropping plate, which has the oni-outportion 26 for 'dropp-ing the seed from the ontcr hoppcr, and hence theseed in the onlcr hopper will rest directlyv on thc droppingv plate. Inorder for the seed of the inner hopper to reach the droppingplate, IAprovide a snbstantially circular slot 30 in the cover plate, and thecentral portion ;ll of the cover plate is i.'e.'nforccd by a` bridgemember 32 extending there from to thi` ouicr wall of the slotl` Thebottoln of the covcr plate is provided with a recess (not shown), andwhen the cover plate is inounted in place the rcccss is en'gaged by alng on the top of the base plate, whereby the cover plate is heldagainst rotation. A shoulder 34. extends around the periphery of thecover plate and is adaptcd to receive the lower end of the innerhopper`` and upstanding lugs on the cover plate` i fit against theinside of the hopper wall and hold the hopper firinly in place.Extendin'g laterally from the cover plate is a gnard member 86 whichextends' over the opening 7 in the base plate, and which is arched tocover the tooth'edwheel 10.

Spring-pressed scrapers and knockcrs are en'ip'loyed'` for both theinner and ontcr hoppers. The scrapers and knockers are of any ordinaryconstruction and per se they forxn no part of the present invention. Onearrangement of the knockcrs and scrapers is shown: in Figure 3. Ninneral37 refers to a seraper which is pivotally inonnted and is normally heldin engagement with the dropping plate by means of the coil spriniir 38.which is mounted on an upstanding` tinjrcr 39'. A knoclrer is indicatedby ninncral 40, and it is normally held in contact with the d-roppingplate by means of the coil spring' 41 mounted on the npstanding finger1-2. For the sake of clcarness the scrapers and knockers have beenomitted froin Figznre 2. The position they will occnpy is shown inFi-,Q'ure 2, however, by the bearings 43 in which the knockers and'scrapers will be pivotally mounted;` and ninnerals 39 and 42 indicatethe pins on which the coil Springs :irc niounted.

The operation of the appnratns thns fin' described is as follows:

Suppose that it is desircd to siinnltanf,`- ously plant two linds ofseeds, for exnniple, corn and bcans. (lorn will be placed in the enterhopper 5 and beans in the inner hop-- per 15. Then when the pinion 21 isrotntcd in the nsnal manner it will cause the gear 2 to revolve, and bymeans of coo] )eratinn' lnn's 18 and 27 the dropping plate will also becaused to revolve. The seeds in the ontcr hopper will rest on theannnlar lange 22 of the dropping plate and on the fiat annular portion 6of the base plate. As the dropplng plate revolves the scraper willposition the seed in the cut-out portions 26, and as these cut-outportions come into alignment with the opening 12 in the base plate theknocker will enter the cut-out portion and positively dislodge the seedtherefrom and cause it to drop into the chute 25'.

In the same manner the seeds in the inner hopper 15 will rest partly onthe cover plate,

and, passing through the slot 30 therein, will.

rest partly on the dropping plate. As the dropping plate lrotates thescraper will position the seed in the holes 25, and as these holes comeinto alignment with the holes 21 and 14 in the cap plate and base plate,respectively, the knoclrer will enter the hole 25 and positivelydislodge the seed therefrom, causing it to drop through the holes 21 and14 and into the chutc 25'.

As previously indicated, the relative arrangement of the inner and outerholes in the dropping plate may be varied to accomplish the resultsdesired. For example, the inner and outer holes may be arranged so thatseeds from the inner and outer hoppers will be dropped simultaneously;or they may be arranged so that they will be dropped alternately; orthey may be arranged so that there will be alternately two plantingactions from one of the hoppers and one planting action from the otherhopper, etc.

At times the operator will desire to plant only one kind of seed, and Iwill now describe the construction by which this device may be quicklyand easily changed into an apparatus for single planting. This may beaccomplished in two ways. In Figure 8 I have shown a cover plate whichis practically the same in construction as the cover plate hereinbeforedescribed, with the principal exception that the slot 30 is omittedtherefrom. .Also the shoulder 84 and upstanding fingers 35 are omitted,for the inner hopper is not to be used in this construction. Now,suppose it is desired to shift from the duplex planting mechanism to thesingle planting mechanism. All that is necessary to accomplish this isto remove the inner hopper and then remove the cover plate shown inFigures 1 and 2, and substitute therefor the cover plate 44 shown inFigure 8. As the slot 30 is omitted from the cover plate- 44 it isapparent that seeds cannot reach the inner series of holes 25 in thedropping plate,

and hence the seed will be dropped only through the outer series ofopenings 26.

Another means by which I accomplish the same result. is as follows:

The cover plate shown in Figures 1 and 2 will be used in thisarrangement, but a dropping plate difering slightly from the onepreviously described will be substituted therefor. 111 place of thedropping plate previously described I will employ a dropping plate withthe inner series of holes omitted. In this construction, to change froma duplex planting mechanism to a single planting mechanism, the innerhopper, the cover plate, and the dropping plate, shown in Figure 1, areremoved and a dropping plate With the inner series of holes omitted isinserted in the apparatus. ,The cover plate shown in Figure 1 is thenmounted in place and the apparatus is ready for single planting. As the'dropping plate is the same in construction as the one illustratedparticularly in F igures 4 and 5, except that the holes 25 have beenomitted therefrom, further illustration is not deemed necessary.

The planting` mechanism described herein may also be used as a cottonplanter by making slight modifications in the construction hereinbeforedescribed.

The apparatus as adapted for use in cotton planting is particularlyillustrated in Figure 9. The inner hopper, cover plate, and droppingplate, illustrated in Figure 1, are removed, and in their place Isubstitute a disc 45 similar in construction to the dropping plate,except that the holes 25 and cut-out portions 26` are omitted. Arrangedaround the periphery of the disc 45 is a series of teeth or pins 46 forengaging the seeds and carrying them to the wheel 10, whereby they aredislodged and dropped into a suitable chute.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that I have devised a seedmechanism for p-lanters which, though simple in construction, is mosteiicient in operation.

`The mechanism may be readily changed from a duplex planting mechanismto a single planting mechanism, and vice versa; and also by slightmodifications it may be used for planting cotton.

It will also be apparent from the foregoing description that themechanism which I have devised permits either the edge drop or the flatdrop, as the operator may prefer.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described what I nowbelieve to be the best embodiment of the invention, but I do not wish tobe understood thereby as limiting myself or the scope of the invention,as many changes and modifications may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention; all such I aim to include in the scope of theappended claims.

I-Iaving fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a planter, a base plate provided with an annular ledge, a droppingplate, Said dropping plate having a flat annular fiange an inclined walland a fiat central portion, the annular ledge having acut-out portion,the periphery of the annular fiange having a plurality of cut-outportions adapted to register With the cut-out portion ot' the annnlarledge, the base plate having an opening therein, and the fiat centralportion ot the dropping plate having a series vof holes therein adaptedto register with the Opening in the `base plate, and means tor rotatingthe '(:lropping plate.

2. In a planter, a base plate having an opening therein, a gear ringmonnted on the base plate, a cap mounted over the gear ring and engagingthe base plate Whereby it is held stationary, said cap having an openingaligned With the 'opening in the base plate, a dropping plate monntedover the gear ring and cap, said dropping plate being operativelyconnected with 'the gear ring and provided With a series ot' openingsada-pted to register With the opening in the cap and base plate, a coverplate inounted over the dropping plate and having a slot perrnitting thepassage 'of seed to the dropping plate, and a hopper niounted on thecover plate.

3. In a planter,a base plate having an annular ledge, a relatively deepchannel and a Vflat central portion, said annnlar ledge andflat centralportion each provided With an opening, a gear ring monnted in thechannel, a cap inounted over the gear ring and engaging the fiat centralporti'on of the base plate Whereby it vis held stationary, said caphaving an opening therein aligned With 'the opening in the centralportion of the base plate, a dropping'plate inonnted over the capV plateand having a series of openings in the periphery thereo a-dapted toregister With the opening in the annnlar ledge of the base plate, anenter hopper mounted 'on the base plate and associated With theperipheral openings in the dropping plate, said dropping plate having aninner series ot openings adapted to register With the aligned openingsin the cap and central portion of the base plate, a cover plate inountedover the dropping plate and having a slot therein to perniit seed toreach the inner series of 'openings in the dropping plate, and a hoppernionnted on the cover plate and associated With the inner series ofopenings in the dropping plate.

et. lin a planter, a base plate, a dropping plate having an inner and anonter series of openings, two concentrically arranged hoppers, oneassociated with the outer series of openings, and the other associatedwith the inner series ot openings, said base plate having a relativelylarge opening therein, and a toothed Wheel adapted to be mounted in saidopening.

5. In a planter, a base plate, a dropping plate having an inner and anenter series ot openings, two concentrically ai'ranged hoppers, oneassociated with the outer series ot openings, and the other associatedwith the inner series of' openings, said base plate having a relativelylarge opening therein, a toothed Wheel adapted to be inonnted in saidopening, a' cover plate monnted over the dropping plate, and a gnardmember carried by the cover plate and extending over said relativelylarge opening.

SAMUEL OTHO HOLLAND.

